Day 36 | Praying on Your Knees… and Your Feet

Reflection

The news hit him like a train. For days, he was crushed. His collar soaked from tears; his knees calloused from prayer. Nehemiah had heard about the state of Jerusalem: ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire’ (Nehemiah 1:3).

Jerusalem — the city supposed to be the white-hot centre of God’s missional flame — resembled nothing more than scattered embers, lying in the dust.

Nehemiah knew something had to happen. He spent days in prayer and confession. And then, his moment came. He’s before King Artaxerxes – the one who might just say yes to Nehemiah’s request or perhaps just kill him.

‘What is it you want?’, the king asks Nehemiah.

‘Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king’. In the build-up, to this make-or-break moment, Nehemiah had been praying on his knees. Now, in the presence of the king, he prays on his feet. He’s afraid, but he turns his fears into instant, silent prayers.

We can pray to God for ages as we kneel by a bed, sit on a sofa, or walk by a river. In these times we gain clarity and courage. Then when the moment comes – the phone rings, the door knocks, and people take their seats – God is still there. We can fire up a quick ‘Help!’, ‘Be with me’, or ‘Thank you’.

As people who long to be confident and courageous, let’s commit to praying on our knees beforehand, then praying on our feet in the moment.

Responding in prayer

Thank you so much, God, that You are always there, always listening.

Thank you that You hear us as we cry out to You in the secret place. Thank you that You hear us when we call out to You on our frontlines. Thank you that You neither slumber nor sleep. Thank you that You are an ever-present help in time of need.